


Hate

by ghost_like



Series: Shangri-la [2]
Category: VIXX
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Angst, M/M, Mythology References, Shangri-La Inspired
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-30
Updated: 2018-09-30
Packaged: 2019-07-20 11:54:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,548
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16136699
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ghost_like/pseuds/ghost_like
Summary: A brief insight on Death's feelings towards Life.





	Hate

**Author's Note:**

> the response on the first piece of this series was so positive i decided to post a little more of it! thank you so much for all the kind comments and kudos, it encouraged me a lot ♡♡♡
> 
> this one is a little shorter, and if you haven't read the first one you probably should for context
> 
> enjoy!♡

Hakyeon hated him. Taekwoon knew so. And he understood, truly, why Hakyeon harbored such feelings towards him - he had enough reasons, and Taekwoon would never presume to try and change his mind. Things were what they were, he was Death and Hakyeon was Life, and it made perfect sense for Life to hate Death.

And for Death to love Life.

He adored Hakyeon. Hakyeon was bright and full of joy, so different from himself. Hakyeon was sunlight breaking through the darkness of his existence, warming up his cold soul. His laughter the most beautiful music, his colors the most vibrant. He loved him. He loved him and it didn’t matter because Hakyeon would never love him back.

Taekwoon wished things were different. He wished he didn’t have to keep taking Hakyeon’s children away from him, but it was his only purpose in the universe - everything must die. The only thing he could do was make sure that the souls of Hakyeon’s creations were comfortable in the beyond; he made them an entire new world, somewhere warm and bright and safe, somewhere they could find a different type of happiness, even if they all hated him just as much as Hakyeon did.

But he loved them all, because Hakyeon loved them. Because he had watched as they were born and watched them grow up and then took them away. And at first, he thought it would be a good thing. He thought that having Hakyeon’s children around would make him feel less lonely. Would give him someone to talk to.

But they hated and feared him. They kept their distance, never leaving the universe Taekwoon so diligently crafted for them.

It didn’t stop him from caring for them. It didn’t stop him from giving them everything they wanted. He would sit down near the entrance to their realm and sing. First, songs he’d heard Hakyeon himself singing to them, and later songs Taekwoon created on his own. It made no difference, in the end.

Hakyeon hated him. He would always hate him no matter what, no matter how many times he apologized, no matter how much he tried to make Hakyeon understand that he never meant to hurt him on purpose. That it wasn’t his fault for being born as what he was. He had tried for so long, even tried making himself more approachable by taking the form of the humans Hakyeon had created, the form he liked the most. It was a losing battle, and one day he decided to stop fighting it. Nothing would change. Hakyeon wouldn’t change. Taekwoon himself wouldn’t - couldn’t - change.

So he said goodbye. He said goodbye and Hakyeon struck him. He deserved it. He deserved for Hakyeon to tear him apart with his claws, with his teeth. But he only struck him once, and somehow that felt worse than it would have if Hakyeon had done more. He laughed, he laughed hard and loud, he laughed for long enough for his laughter to turn into sobs, and he vowed he would not seek out Hakyeon again. What he felt for Hakyeon would never be more than what it was, and he would love Hakyeon for all eternity - but he couldn’t force himself where he wasn’t wanted, couldn’t make Hakyeon grow accustomed to him, someone he loathed, just because Taekwoon held him in high esteem. He wanted Hakyeon to be happy. If that came with the cost of Taekwoon never seeing him again, then so be it.

He would never see him again.

As years and decades and centuries passed, it got easier to resist the urge. He would find ways to keep himself occupied. He traveled to explore distant corners of the world. He built himself a home in his realm of darkness, something that felt ironic to him - so human. So like Hakyeon’s children. He created new songs, even made different little worlds for the souls of Hakyeon’s creations to dwell.

And he spent far too much time in his chambers, isolated from everything, alone.

He lost count of how long it had been since the last time he saw Hakyeon. Thousands of years, certainly. He missed him. He missed him so much it felt like his insides were being torn in half. But he couldn’t. He couldn’t go see him.

So it was with surprise that he turned around one day and found Hakyeon there. He thought it was a vision, a dream, but no - he was there, truly there. And to see _him_. But that couldn’t be true. Hakyeon hated him. Why would he be there to see him? The only explanation was that he was there to try and get on Taekwoon’s good graces so he would allow him to see his children, as if that was necessary. Taekwoon would give Hakyeon everything. He would give him the universe, he would give him his very soul.

Hakyeon wasn’t there for him. Why would he be?

So Taekwoon left him to be with his children and tried to be as inconspicuous as possible. He could hear his laughter from his chambers, hear his songs and the stories he told his creations, and Taekwoon tried finding solace in that. Hakyeon’s gentle voice was a balm to his wretched soul.

He never expected Hakyeon to call for him. Taekwoon had been wallowing in his chambers, having felt the presence of the dragon ripple through his dimension. It was how it always was - Hakyeon arrived, Taekwoon hid in his room. Pathetic.

But that day, he called for him.

Taekwoon quickly wiped his moist eyes and pulled up his hood, afraid Hakyeon would see too much in his gaze, and went to meet him.

Hakyeon had opted for his human form that day. His shoulders were squared, as if prepared for a fight, and there was a tenseness to his demeanor. Taekwoon wasn’t sure how to interpret it.

“Hakyeon,” he said in greeting, and Hakyeon turned to him. He wasn’t sure if he would ever get used to the torrent of feelings he felt anytime his eyes locked with Hakyeon’s. “Is something the matter?”

“No, I— Nothing is wrong,” Hakyeon replied, and Taekwoon noticed a slight tremble in his usually confident cadence. He tilted his head curiously. “I was simply wondering where you have been holed up in.”

Hakyeon smiled, awkward, likely trying to lighten the atmosphere. Taekwoon frowned under his hood, curiosity now replaced by bafflement.

“I have been here,” he answered, simple. It was the truth, after all.

“If you were here, then how come I never see you when I come to visit my children?” Hakyeon’s question combined with the step he took towards him caused Taekwoon to flinch, but he managed to reign himself in before he gave in and ran away. He wasn’t used to Hakyeon approaching him out of his own will.

“My realm is vast. And I have my own chambers,” Taekwoon explained, glad that his voice wasn’t shaking like he expected it to be. Hakyeon frowned, and Taekwoon decided to elaborate further. “I did not want to intrude in your time with them. I understand that my presence is unwanted, so I—”

“Your presence is not unwanted,” Hakyeon said, sudden, and Taekwoon flinched this time. It hurt. It was a lie and it hurt. Hakyeon hated him, _loathed_ him, so why, why— “And this is _your_ domain. You should not have to feel like you need to disappear in your own home.”

There were so many thoughts running through his head, so many variables, and every single one of them made him want to scream. He wanted to disappear, to remove himself from that moment, and for all intents and purposes, he could do so; but he couldn’t run away. He couldn’t keep running. He didn’t want to, didn’t want that to be what his existence had been reduced to.

“You have said to me, many times, that you loathe me,” he found his voice again, and he stated that simple fact calmly - it was not something that made him angry, not anymore. Not after he had spent millennia learning how to live with the fact that Hakyeon despised him. “And I recall making a promise not to bother you again with my presence. I am trying to keep that promise.”

Hakyeon lowered his eyes, lips pursed. There was a patch of scales on the side of his neck, glimmering gold in his beautiful tan skin.

“I never asked you to promise me that,” Hakyeon murmured, and it felt to Taekwoon like he had been struck again. No, he couldn’t do this. It hurt too much, too much—

He turned away. He couldn’t keep looking at Hakyeon and keep himself from falling apart at the same time. “I do not understand you.”

He hoped his tone didn’t betray any of the deeper meaning behind his words - but he didn’t want to find out.

“If there is nothing more you need, I will take my leave. Enjoy your time with your children.”

“Taekwoon—!”

He heard Hakyeon call for him, but he couldn’t stay there anymore.

He was so tired. So very tired.

Perhaps someday he would learn to be around Hakyeon without feeling like that.

Perhaps, someday, he would learn to live with his Light’s hatred.

**Author's Note:**

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